Woke up this morning feeling pain in joints. This afternoon I looked at my hands and noticed that my knuckle and a few finger joints are swollen and red.
No. Freaking. Way.
This goes beyond the joint pain associated with Sjogrens, no? I left a message for my rheumy.
Is this an RA symptom? What can I do in the mean time until I see him? Oh, new friends, I am so sick of this lousy body!!
I am still undiagnosed but have lots of dryness, Neuro symptoms, normal bloodwork for several years and am on Plaquenil and pilocarpine.
It's not necessarily RA - I get joint pain and swelling with my SjS. In fact, before starting Plaquenil, my fingers on both hands would be swollen and stiff every morning for about an hour, but the x-rays did not show signs of damage. Your rheumy will probably want to take x-rays though to check for signs of joint damage - if there is actual damage to the joints, it's more likely RA.
I , Like Mshistory, have major joint pain and swelling. I even have some lumps or knots show up on some of the joints. But I do not have RA. Or I have not tested positive for it yet. My new Rheumy says it can very well be from Sjogrens. So, dont panic just yet. Wait and see what your doctor says. When I was told I have Sjogrens, the doctor said I would feel like I had RA. So, that could be whats happening to you.
PLease let us know what you find out.
Luna
I do have RA. When my joints swell and get painful I have redness over the joint with warmth.
I also have rheumatoid nodules. Fortunately my sjogrens and RA medicines are all one and the same.
hope you do NOT have RA.
eye2dry
I don't have RA, but I have a lot of redness, bumps and pain from osteoarthritis. I think some of the aches and pains in my hands are from Sjs too.
Ark Mom, I hope you don't have RA, that would not be fun!
Thank you everyone for your thoughts and support. This flare that I have been in since February is just kicking my butt! I hope you guys are right about it only being another Sjogrens symptom.
I will try not to freak out. I will hope he puts an order in for x-rays.
I don't understand how there can be pain an inflammation associated with this disease but no damage, if that really is what is going on with me.
On a positive note, I was able to get the pain down with NSAIDs enough to be able to play doubles tonight, and we won handedly 6-2, 6-3. I was on fire, in more ways than one.
I do not have RA. but Sjogrens and osteoarthritis (they say). My hands hurt so bad at times, I can't stand it. Other times they are painfree. Go figure. I also have had two knee replacements. One a few months ago and one 9 years ago. I can't blame RA for them because I do not have it. Osteoarthritis they say. I believe it's also because of SJS making the osteo worse. Lucy
Do you have a positive rheumatoid factor/sed rate?
I hope you don't have RA. I also have RA plus Sjogrens. I really don't know which fairs. It is all the same. I just know it hurts.
Make sure you let us know when you find out. I will be praying for you.
Love, harlin
@crymeariver, all the tests I have ever had have been normal/negative, all ANA, RF, ESR, CRP, SSa and b, etc. They have been testing me for several years. I even had a full brain and spinal MRI and VNG looking for MS when I had dizziness that lasted four months.
I cried on the way home today because I saw a pregnant woman at lunch. I am just so devastated that my life won't be able to accommodate another baby. I feel guilty that I even had the two girls that I do have, knowing there is a strong chance one or both of them will have an autoimmune disease. I feel like that if things get much worse for me, symptoms wise, I will really question whether or not life is worth living.
Having my mouth be so dry that I am losing my voice and having trouble eating, swallowing pills, etc. is about my limit. I don't know how much more I can take. Sigh.
I am going to my gastroenterologist this week and hopefully we will run tests for Celiac as I have lots of gastronomic issues. I am going to also ask one of my doctor's to check for sarcoidosis since I do fit some demographics-young onset and of Scandinavian descent (1/4), even though I don't really want that either.
Im feeling the same way. Im not having a good day either. I dont think my symptoms are really bad but I do worry about the future and the future of my family. I always wanted 2 kids and on that part am OK. I worry about them having a sick mom, I worry about my husband. I dont think he will able to adapt to the new me. We are so young and he is full of energy all the time. Hang in there. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. The joint problem all I can tell you is that for me it was the first symptom. I been having joint pain on and off on hands, wrist, knees, and feet. Up to last month everything has been negative. Well see what my new rheumy says on Monday.
Ark Mom.
my symptoms stared with joint pain in my hands. they do swell at times and they are red and warm, I had a vitamin D deficency and that seemed to take care of the swelling and redness. I have had xrays, mri's and I have synovial fluid thickening or swelling in my hands, wrists, knees and ankles (my brain deosnt remember now). They say because I have no damage that it is Sjs.
I also have positive ssa,esr,rf (mildly positive), and ana.
Regardless, it is all treated the same initially. hope this helps-Hootyhu
I feel for you Ark mom. I wanted another baby too. I developed lymphoma not too long after the pregnancy and now I'm too old. All I can say is that I have been in your position -barely able to speak a sentence and laying in the dark trying not to move my eyes at all - and have bounced back from the brink time and again pver the past 11 years. It's hard to know when or if we've reached a new normal.
Have your docs tried prednisone? I find it essential to bring flairs under control.
I have a lot of pain in my hands, but do not have ra. Lately, I have been having the tips of my fingers hurting a lot, especially at the end of the day. Don't know what that is.
susanep :)
I also have terrible finger joint pain as well as numbness and tingling in my fingers and my doc has told me I don't have RA so keep your fingers crossed that it's a flair from your SjS.